Believe it or not, model Coco Rocha’s modern art-inspired red number is a Michael Kors original. Sadly, only models can get away with wearing what is essentially a one-shouldered mumu and make it look effortless.
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Michelle Trachtenberg wore an ensemble from Behnaz Sarafpour’s 2010 Resort collection—a bold choice in a sea of safe Kors and Vuitton—but we’re not quite sure the Gossip Girl star pulled off the modern femme-bot look. Still, you can’t blame a girl for trying something new.
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Fashion stylist to the waifs and reality TV maven Rachel Zoe showed up in a slim drop-waisted Louis Vuitton gown, in homage to her friend Marc Jacobs, who won an award for his work with LVMH. The usually sour-faced Zoe was in a cheery mood among her people—she even stopped to let photographers snap pictures of her for a full three minutes. Fashion brings out the best in everyone.
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Model Agyness Deyn has a look, that’s for sure—the platinum blonde is a rocker, and of course would show up to the fashion event of the year in a bomber jacket and militaristic biker boots. The sequin dress does add a bit of feminine glamour to the mix, but Agyness clearly wanted to be the tomboy of the bunch.
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Two of the summer’s big movie stars walked into the awards together— The Hangover’s Bradley Cooper arrived with Star Trek’s Zoe Saldana on his arm. But later—as twitterers and photographers show—Cooper moved on to talk to almost every woman at the after party, including cozy moments with Lake Bell and Molly Sims. Not that one can blame him—the CFDAs: a batchelor as candy stores: children.
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Speaking of Lake Bell, the up-and-coming actress appeared last night in a puffy Louis Vuitton mini that is now the buzz of hot vs. not Internet fashion chat boards. Either way, the actress is going places—from a supporting role in 2008’s What Happens In Vegas to a starring role in HBO’s upcoming How to Make it in America (an Entourage-esque comedy set in Manhattan).
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French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld’s daughter Julia lives in New York now, and has become a fixture in the Manhattan fashion scene—here, she channels Jessica Rabbit in a black Balmain sequin mini.
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Kerry Washington showed how glamorous a maxi dress can look, in gray Doo.Ri and Movado jewelry (she’s their spokesperson, so that’s no surprise).
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Designer Erin Fetherston always looks like Alice in Wonderland, in the best possible way. Last night she wore her signature platinum bangs with a puffy white minidress, which we imagine many women will covet as the perfect summer wedding gown starting now.
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Jason Wu has had the best year a designer can imagine—annointed by Michelle Obama, he created the gorgeous white gown she wore to dance with Barack on Inauguration night. Though he didn’t win the Swarovski award—that honor went to Alexander Wang—he did get to bring Diane Kruger along as his date and model for the evening, who herself is having a stellar season (she is on the cover of Lucky and the New York Times Magazine).
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Comedienne Tracey Ullman—the host of the awards ceremony, radiant in a red—poses with CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg. Though Ullman has been known to do a spot-on DVF impression in the past, she focused her humor on other targets for the evening, spoofing Vogue editor Anna Wintour in a pageboy wig and huge sunglasses.
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Though Vera Wang lost out on the award for Accessories Designer of the Year to the young chaps from Proenza Schouler, she didn’t seem fazed by the loss. The designer has already won a huge prize from the CFDA—Womenswear Designer of the Year—in 2005, and her booming bridal business is weathering the recession just fine. She’s doing great. Trust us.
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Ashley Olsen knows what she likes—and that includes looking like an 80-year-old woman on the way to a country club benefit. That said, she wears the look like no one else, and stood out in even the competition-heavy CFDA crowd in pounds of burnt orange fabric. One has to give the girl points for consistency—and the bold application of a hue typically reserved for subway seats and shag rugs.
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Ralph Lauren has been dominating in the “classic American” wear arena for so long that he doesn’t seem to need any more recognition for it—but even the most ubiquitous designers still love to be feted by their peers. Last night, Lauren won in the new category of the “Popular Vote Award,” a fashion version of American Idol—it was up to an online vote that anyone could access. Turns out America loves, well, America—as embodied by Lauren’s patriotic blue jeans, simple shifts, and preppy gear (and blonder wife Ricky).
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Kirsten Dunst arrived at the awards flanked by Rodarte designer sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy (in one of their creations), and she was in excellent company. The Mulleavy sisters took away one of the night’s big awards, Womenswear Designers of the Year. Not bad for a couple of gals from Pasadena, who founded their line less than five years ago, and who have already draped their intricate designs over Natalie Portman, Michelle Obama, Cate Blanchett, and most often, Dunst—a Rodarte muse and close friend. According to The Cut's Twitter, Dunst was ecstatic backstage after the Mulleavy’s win, using her clutch as a microphone to re-announce their victory.
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There’s not much else to say about model/television host Molly Sims other than she walked the carpet wearing a gown with giant Marilyn Monroe visages stamped all over it. Yes, it’s ridiculous and campy, but it’s also Dolce and Gabbana. And in the fashion world, anything D&G goes, darlings.
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Marc Jacobs was in an ebullient mood at the awards show—he walked in with fiancé Lorenzo Martone on his arm, and immediately began gushing about the CFDA to anyone who would listen. The couple may or may not have just tied the knot in Cape Cod (though rumors of the union have been circulating for over a year)—but either way, the man looked as glowing as someone just back from a honeymoon. It also probably didn’t hurt that Jacobs won the top award of the night—the International Award for his entire body of work.
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Blake Lively was the last person to arrive on the red carpet (the awards had already begun when she waltzed in wearing a slim neon pink Michael Kors pocket dress)—which was a surprise to only a few. One photographer said, as the rest were packing up, “We should wait for Blake, right? She’s late to everything.” But better to arrive tardy looking like a vision—all the fashion types really care about is the after-party, anyway.
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Claire Danes looked fantastic in a barely there gown by Michelle Obama favorite Narciso Rodriguez, who was also her date for the evening. She also confessed that the designer is creating her wedding dress—she is set to marry fellow actor Hugh Dancy. Rodriguez did not win any awards for the night, but must have felt proud of Obama’s Special Tribute win (which the first lady accepted via video in a crisp white shirt and pearls), as he designed so many of Mobama’s looks during the campaign.
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It is impossible for Heidi Klum not to look amazing, even sporting a baby bump in a minidress. She arrived at the awards on the arm of designer and Project Runway judge Michael Kors. The two will happily reunite again on August 20, when the show resumes for Season 6, now on Lifetime.
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Most people know Tory Burch as either a) Lance Armstrong’s ex, or b) the designer of those see-them-everywhere signature ballet flats that have taken over Los Angeles and most of Manhattan. But she is also a CFDA winner, having nabbed Accessories Designer of the Year last year—this year, she was just in it for the mingling.
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The youngest daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, Tallulah has taken a summer internship at high fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar—the first, connection-y baby step into the CFDA world! It’s a good thing she’s working at Bazaar and not W—the latter just published a kinky fetish shoot starring Willis and his new wife, Emma.
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Anna Sui, recipient of the night’s Lifetime Achievement Award, arrived with White Stripes rocker Jack White. White, a longtime fan of the fashion world, is married to flame-haired model Karen Elson. Sui was treated to a big awards show montage of her body of work—and a rousing round of applause from her peers—every designer’s dream.
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Model Doutzen Kroes wore a frilly Zac Posen gown to the affair, and arrived with Posen as her date. Sometimes one just has to wear red.
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Though Padma Lakshmi’s hosting talents are greatly missed during this summer’s season of Top Chef: Masters, she represented in the fashion department at the awards, in a peachy satin gown that only she could pull off.
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